Have you ever been offered the opportunity to purchase cartons — not packs — cartons of cigarettes on an airplane?

Before embarking on an Austrian Airlines flight from JFK to Frankfurt today, I thought such a scenario was surreal. More accurately: I didn’t even think it was surreal because I didn’t think of it whatsoever; purchasing darts aboard an aircraft was, if not inconceivable to me, at least not conceived by me.

And yet, halfway across the Atlantic Ocean, a flight attendant wheeled a carton-laden vending cart beside me and kindly asked if I would like to purchase duty-free death sticks. I politely declined. But the experience started me wondering how different Europe might be on this front from the U.S. Then, after landing in Frankfurt, I walked by half a dozen smoking rest areas on the way to my gate. There were flight attendants, passengers, and, I imagine, a couple of pilots smoking to their hearts’ content.

Smoking indoors in an airport.

I had seen in black-and-white movies that, once upon a time — when attendants were called “stewardesses” (and, much less commonly, “stewards”) — passenger jets were massive flying ash trays. I was also vaguely aware that, until not that long ago, there were smoking sections in restaurants. But in 2023? In an airport? A European airport (Okay, this one might make sense: Europeans smoke much more than Americans.)

How do Austria and Germany have us beat with respect to tobacco liberties? These are two countries that have government-mandated cancerous lungs on packaging and “RAUCHEN IST TÖDLICH – SMOKING KILLS” signs in their smoking areas.

And yet, Austria sells cigs by the carton aboard flights — Remember: No smoking in the plane (not even in the bathroom!) — sells liquor in grocery stores, and sells both (depending on alcohol content) to 16-year-olds. Moreovoer, it permits drinking unconcealed booze outdoors.

Now, I’m not saying America should lose its rightful place as freest-country-on-earth because we don’t let minors drink. But . . . if even left-wing European countries allow people to buy and consume what they want where it’s most convenient, perhaps the good ol’ U.S. of A. should follow suit.